US EPA made a list of materials that can be used as pesticides without need to register them under FIFRA. These are referred to as 25b active and 4a inert minimal risk materials. Now anyone can mix and package pesticides made from these materials with a label listing: ingredients, percent concentration, appropriate warnings, and address of person bottling the pesticide. You cant make false claims on the label. Some of these exempt materials are: cinnamon oil, corn gluten meal, garlic, garlic oil, eugenol, 2-phenethyl propionate (active in Bioganic products), putrescent whole egg solids, sesame oil, sodium lauryl sulfate (soap in shampoo), and white pepper, among others. Orange oil is not on these lists but is on the GRAS list.

We carry products containing these low risk materials to help you put together an IPM program. Remember that even though these materials have low toxicity to humans, they do some damage to beneficial insects. Use them to knock down large populations of pests before introducing beneficial insects. Using them on a regular basis will disrupt your insect ecology. See our web page for more information and recipes for making pesticides.

Bioganicâ brands sell a line of low risk pesticides that are available in discount stores around the country. Their weed killer is very effective, so we dont carry one.